Caught This Fish – Pay Up to 7,225 Hryvnias: What Catch Is Fined in Ukraine

For many Ukrainians, summer recreation on water bodies is inextricably linked with fishing. However, even a modest catch can lead to significant financial penalties if current regulations are not observed. Anglers face substantial fines for catching fish smaller than the established size or for violating other legal requirements.

Rules for Amateur Fishing

In Ukraine, fishing in public water bodies is free, but strictly for personal consumption. The sale of fish caught through amateur fishing is prohibited.

Anglers must adhere to established norms, as their violation can result in not only administrative but, in some cases, criminal liability.

Prohibited Fishing Gear

Amateur fishing regulations prohibit the use of gear that harms aquatic biological resources. These include:

• Electric fishing rods

• Spurs

• Spider nets

• Crayfish traps

• Drag nets

• Yateras

• Seines

• Stampers

• Nets

• Explosive and poisonous substances

Using such equipment is considered a violation of environmental protection legislation.

When fishing, individuals must carry:

• An identity document

• A tool for measuring the length of fish or crayfish

This will facilitate immediate verification of whether the catch meets the established requirements and can be retained.

How to Measure Your Catch Correctly

The length of fish (excluding rays) is determined from the tip of the snout, with the mouth closed, to the start of the middle rays of the tail fin.

Crayfish are measured along the back—from an imaginary line between the middle of the eyes to the edge of the middle tail plate.

The State Fisheries Agency reiterates that minimum allowable sizes are set for specific fish species.

Specifically:

• European catfish: from 80 cm

• White amur and bighead carp: from 60 cm in Dnipro reservoirs and 40 cm in other water bodies

• Pike: from 50 cm

• Common zander: from 42 cm

• Bream and common carp: 35 cm in Dnipro reservoirs and 30 cm in other water bodies

• Asp: 30 cm

• Whitefish: 25 cm

• Chub and sabrefish: 24 cm

• Blue bream: 22 cm

• Tench, brook trout, and common roach: 20 cm

For roach and rudd, a minimum length of 18 cm is established only for Dnipro reservoirs. In other inland water bodies, no such restrictions apply.

Regarding river crayfish, they may only be kept if their length is at least 11 cm in Dnipro reservoirs and 10 cm in other water bodies.

For most other fish species, minimum size restrictions are not established. However, catching species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine is strictly prohibited, regardless of their size.

What to Do if Fish Are Undersized

If an undersized specimen is caught, it must be released as carefully as possible and immediately returned to the water body.

Penalties for Illegal Catch

In addition to administrative or criminal punishment, violators must compensate for the damage caused to the fishery. A significant compensation must be paid for each illegally caught fish.

The compensation amounts are as follows:

• Trout: 7,225 UAH

• Catfish: 5,117 UAH

• Common carp: 3,706 UAH

• Bighead carp and white amur: 3,638 UAH each

• Zander: 3,587 UAH

• Pike: 3,468 UAH

• Perch: 3,162 UAH

• Bream and asp: 1,649 UAH each

• Tench and chub: 1,598 UAH each

• Blue bream, sabrefish, silver crucian carp, and common roach: 1,581 UAH each

• Roach, rudd, and bleak: 1,564 UAH each

For each illegally caught river crayfish, a fine of 3,332 UAH must be paid.

Observing fishing regulations not only helps to avoid fines but also contributes to preserving aquatic biological resources for future generations.

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